Budgeting for Self Service Moving

For those planning a more “self-service” move the
budget will still involve some professional moving fees, such
as freight services or truck rentals. Most self-service moving
budgets include:

• Truck or van rental – this figure can vary widely
due to the size of the vehicle and the distance travelled. Some
companies provide “free miles” each day, but most
have additional fees associated with mileage.

• Fuel – regardless of the length of the journey,
a rental vehicle must be returned with the same amount of fuel
as at the time of rental. This is strictly out-of-pocket for
the renter and usually places a heavy penalty, in the form of
high costs per gallon of gas, on those who return them without
adequate fuel.

• Equipment rental – most vehicle rental agencies
make many helpful pieces of equipment available to their client,
including dollies, trucks and covers.

• Insurance – most renters will opt for damage
insurance on the moving vehicle if their credit card does not
all ready cover such issues

For this area of the budget, there should be line items around
the preparations for the actual moving day. Additionally, there
will be many expenses for the days before, during and after
the move as well. In the weeks leading up to the move a good
deal of the budget will be dedicated to packing and storing
expenses. This includes:

• Boxes – many moving companies can supply people
with pre-packaged assortments of boxes and accessories based
on the size of the household. This is not the only way to acquire
boxes, but it can usually provide some savings and pays to be
investigated.

• Protection – bubble wrap, blank newsprint and
specialty boxes should also be included in the budget. While
many think that plain old newspaper is fine for the task, it
can damage goods with ink stains and will never provide the
kind of protection that bubble wrap is capable of. Also, specialty
cartons for objects like china and glassware save time and protect
the items better than any other method.

• Storage – whether it is for a large set of furniture
that has no room in the new home, or for the temporary relocation
of goods, storage facility rentals are very handy to have access
to when relocating. It is a good idea to select a facility near
the new home or in a convenient location between the two areas.
Many moving companies will make “pickups” or “drop
offs” on moving day, but extra fees must be attached.

• Insurances – it is advisable to purchase insurance
on the contents of any storage facility, as most will not provide
for damages.